NEW FAMILY WELCOME CENTERAnchorage School District opensnew Family Welcome Center​BY ANCHORAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT STAFF

Are you a newcomer to Anchorage with school-age children, looking for information and support? Do you have questions about the Anchorage School District, or need help with enrollment or registration? Would you like to learn more about school and community resources that can help you and your family? The Anchorage School District English Language Learner Program is available to help!

The Anchorage School District will be opening a new English Language Learner Family Welcome Center starting July 30, 2018, located at the ASD Education Center, at 5530 E. Northern Lights Blvd. The Welcome Center will offer services and resources for families who are from different countries or U.S. territories, or who speak languages other than English.

Bilingual staff will be available to help with enrollment and initial English testing, share information about school district programs, and help connect families with community resources. New or returning families who have district-related questions, or would like information about school and community programs, please call Welcome Center staff at 742-4455, starting July 25.

All new to district students who will be enrolling in grades 6-12 must schedule an appointment at the Welcome Center before starting school. Students who are new to Alaska and who speak a language other than English must take an English proficiency exam to determine if they are eligible to receive services from the English Language Learner Program in ASD.

This information will help school counselors choose the best classes for them. Bilingual staff will be available to help families fill out district enrollment paperwork, review required documents, and make referrals to programs and services, while the students are testing. New families who have students to enroll for the 2018-19 school year should call 742-4455 starting July 25, to make an appointment.

A parent or legal guardian will need to accompany the student to the enrollment appointment, and bring personal identification. The family will need to bring the following documents with them to enroll:

• Proof of residency, such as a utility bill, or a contract of purchase or lease agreement• Official immunization records that show all shots received from birth to present (the state of Alaska requires specific immunizations before starting school)• Birth certificate, or alternate document verifying legal name and date of birth• Previous school records if available - especially important for high school students

Note: ASD enrolls students without inquiring about their immigration status and without discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin. ASD does not ask for students’ or parents’ immigration status when they enroll. Students have a legal right to access public education regardless of their immigration status or their parents’ status. That right cannot be taken away or denied by the state or the school district.

PROUDLY POWERED BY SOL DE MEDIANOCHE CO.Sol de Medianoche is a bimonthly publication of the Latino community inAnchorage, Alaska